"Tear Digvijaya Singh's clothes," Kamal Nath shares light banter; BJP claims infighting

Oct 17, 2023

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 17 : Ahead of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, the video of an on-stage light banter between Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh has emerged after which BJP calls it a sign of infighting and Congress leaders saying the video just captures a light moment between two veterans.
The video which has triggered a debate within the political circles of Madhya Pradesh and garnered responses from various leaders is from an event during which the Congress's Madhya Pradesh unit released its manifesto for the November 17 election.
In the video former CM was heard saying that when he was asked to "tear Digvijaya Singh's clothes for not fulfilling promises", he had replied that the people should do so if their concerns are not heard.
Digvijaya Singh who was present on the stage intervened and said the party's documents are signed by the state Congress chief. "Then whose clothes should be torn?" he asked as party leaders laughed.
Meanwhile, while responding to Singh, Kamal Nath said that his relationship with Digvijaya is not political.
"It is a relationship of jokes and laughs, of love. Long back, I had given him a power of attorney that he would face verbal abuses for me. That power of attorney is still valid," he added.
To which Singh responded, "But people should know who is making mistakes". "Whether it is your mistake or not, you will face abuses," Nath said, amid cheers and claps from other leaders.
The state Congress chief reiterated that he and Digvijaya Singh go back a long way. "As I said, it is not a political relationship. It is a family relationship."
Soon after the video circulated on social media, the BJP said infighting in the Congress has come out in the open.
"Kurta tearing fight continues in Congress which is struggling with infighting! With the feeling of a shameful defeat in the upcoming assembly elections, a phase of blaming each other has started among the Congressmen," the BJP Madhya Pradesh handle posted on X (Formerly Twitter).
Soon after this Congress leader Digvijaya Singh put out a post on X, saying he and Mr Nath go back a long way.
"My family relationship with Kamal Nath ji goes back to 1980. There have been differences of opinion between us on many issues. It is natural for two friends to have differences of opinion but there are no differences of opinion. Funny dialogue between me and Kamal Nath ji at the time of MP Congress manifesto," he said.
Notably, Congress on Tuesday released its election manifesto containing 101 guarantees ahead of Madhya Pradesh assembly elections which will be held next month.
This video statement from Kamal Nath has created a stir on social media, with BJP leaders sharing it widely.
The Congress is bidding to wrest power from the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with Rahul Gandhi and his sister and the party's national general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, already holding a clutch of rallies in the state.
Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to undergo assembly polls on November 17. Through the polls, the state will elect legislators from 230 Assembly constituencies. The election would be conducted in one phase in the state and the counting would be done on December 3.